AMC Networks has purchased Sentai Holdings, which includes Sentai Filmworks and HIDIVE. The AMC Networks portfolio includes IFC Films, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance, and BBC America (with the BBC).

AMC Networks ($1.6 billion market cap) is no Sony ($128 billion market cap), but this should give HIDIVE slightly deeper pockets. Maybe AMC's half ownership of BBC America will lend it some additional negotiating clout.

And while we're at it, Cinedigm is acquiring Digital Media Rights, the parent company of the RetroCrush, AsianCrush, and Midnight Pulp streaming services. Consolidation continues apace in the anime streaming business.

A big question for 2022 is whether Sony will continue to operate Crunchyroll and Funimation as separate subsidiaries or merge them together.

Like Netflix, Crunchyroll uses embedded subtitles that are superior to closed captions both in terms of readability and the user interface. I would be happy to see all the dubs go to Funimation and all the subs to Crunchyroll.

Incidentally, the year-end special offer ended, but you can get a one year subscription to HIDIVE for four bucks a month, which is still a great deal.

Labels: business, crunchyroll, funimation, hidive, streaming, television